What the frack are they thinking?

Crazy times in the state legislature! There is too much to share, but a couple of things that need your attention:

HJM 5 Chaco-Area Fracking Lease Moratorium (Reps Derrick J. Lente and Patricia Roybal Caballero) would stop fracking in the Chaco area. It would also stop the industry that provides the lifeblood to our state or a full third of the state’s budget.

HJM 5 is full of errors, poorly written and just dangerous to this mineral rich state. We need to expand oil and natural gas production and just say ‘NO’ to this memorial.

Click here to send a note to members of the House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

HB 86 Caregiver Leave Act (Rep. Deborah Armstrong and Sen. Michael Padilla) allows employees, who accrue sick leave, to use that leave to care for someone else. What’s wrong with that you ask? It will take two additional full time state employees just to enforce the law at a cost to the state of $120,000/year! Most employers providing sick leave will work with employees without being forced to do so by law.

SB 78 Private Employer Conviction Inquiries (Sen. Bill B. O'Neill and Rep. Alonzo Baldonado) This bill prohibits employers from inquiring about an applicant's conviction on an initial employment application. They let you ask later in the process and even notify applicants that the law or company policy could disqualify them.

What a waste of time for both parties! While we have seen employers hire convicted felons and believe as they do in second chances, employers should be allowed full information on applicants so that they can make an informed decision.

HB86 has already passed two House committees and will be heard soon by the full House. SB 78 will be heard in the Senate. It’s time to call your State Representative and Senators and ask them to let businesses manage their own resources! What's next? A government agency to do the hiring for business owners?